Disposable medical forceps



Feb. 6, 1968.

A. EIZENBERG 3,367,336

DISPOSABLE MEDICAL FORCEPS Filed July 26, 1965 v FIG. 7.

INVENTOR Mil/UR [/Zf/VBf/V g unlllllllllmnm A r romvs Y United StatesPatent Office 3,367,336 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,336 DISPOSABLEMEDICAL FORCEIS Arthur Eizenberg, Tarzana, Calif., assignor tolharmaseal Laboratories, Glendale, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaFiled July 26, 1965, Ser. No. 474,577 Claims. (Cl. 128-321) ABSTRACT (IFTHE DISCLUSURE A disposable, one-piece plastic forceps having alongitudinal triangular rib along an inside surface of each clampingarm. These ribs have opposed spaced apart apexes near a U-shaped plastichinge. The apexes come together upon partially closing of the forceps tospring th\ U-shaped hinge outwardly and prevent it from breaking.

This invention relates to disposable plastic forceps for medical use.

Sterile medical forceps have a multitude of uses within a hospital ordoctors office. They are used, for instance, to remove sutures, tohandle dressings, and to manipulate absorbent cotton balls in swabbing apatient.

It is important to keep the cost of forceps very low so they can beeconomically marketed as a presterilized item for one-time use.

Plastic forceps meeting this requirement have been made in the past.These forceps in the shape of a V had two serous disadvantages. First,the jaw opening of the forceps was limited because of the limitedflexure of the plastic material. Second, many of these forceps wouldcrack in the crotch of the V when closed with a firm force.

An object of this invention is to provide a disposable plastic forcepsfor medical use with an increased jaw span.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disposable plasticforceps for medical use with an improved hingin g action.

These objects can perhaps be better understood with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the forceps in an open position;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the forceps in their closedposition;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line S-5 of FIGURE 4showing one version of the jaw teeth structure;

FIGURE 6 is a top view of a jaw of the forceps showing the jaw teethstructure of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along thesame line as FIGURE 5 but showing a modified version of the jaw teethstructure; and

FIGURE 8 is a top view of a jaw of the forceps showing the modified jawteeth structure of FIGURE 7.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the forceps includes a pair of arms 1, each ofwhich has a jaw 5 at one end. An opposite end of each arm joins at 28 toa U-shaped hinge member 2 which includes a pair of sides 29 and a back39. As best illustrated in FIGURE 2, the back 30 and sides 29 are wide,actually corresponding in width to the arms I. This keeps the jaws frommaterially shifting laterally relative to each other before guide meansassociated with each arm engage. The guide means spoken of includes aguide pin 3 in one arm and a guide hole 4 in an opposite arm forlaterally aligning jaws 5 as they close.

Narrow ribs 6 extend along inside surfaces of arms 1 and terminate inpivot points 9 adjacent juncture 28 between arms 1 and sides 29 ofU-shaped hinge member 2. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, these pivot points9 contact each other as the forceps are closed, thus flexing the sides29 of U-shaped flexible hinge member outwardly. Previous V-shapedforceps depended solely on an inwardly flexing hinge member at a crotchof the V. This resulted in several breakages of plastic forceps whenfirmly closed and also limited the amount of jaw opening in the naturalor open position of the molded plastic forceps.

In my invention I utilize both an inwardly and an outwardly flexure ofthe hinge member, particularly in sides 29 of U-shaped hinge member, toovercome these disadvantages. As the arms shown in FIGURE 1 begin tomove inwardly when the forceps closes, the sides 29 flex inwardly.Before the breaking point of a plastic material is reached, pivot points9 of ribs 6 contact each othenand force the sides 29 to bow outwardly asthe jaws continue to close. By using the double fiexure in U-shapedflexible hinge member 2, the forceps can be molded in a natural openposition with a very large jaw opening as shown in FIGURE 1.

As the forceps closes, the ribs 6 contact each other at pivot points 9,flexing the U-shaped flexible hinge member as explained above. Continualpressure on the arms 1 brings the jaws closer and closer together untilthe teeth 7 of the respective jaws 5 mesh together. Preferably, the ribs6 diminish in height gradually and continuously from the pivot points 9to the guide pin 3 and guide hole 4. Thus, when firm pressure is appliedto arm 1, the r1bs will contact each other at pivot points 9 and thenupon further closing contact each other along their entire length fromguide means to the pivot point 9. This structure limits the degree ofpivot and hence the amount the sides 29 of U-shaped hinge member flexoutwardly as teeth 7 mesh.

FIGURES 5 through 8 show two versions of meshing teeth 7. In oneversion, shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the jaw and tooth structure is wellsuited for a prep forceps. This forceps is very useful for holding anabsorbent cotton ball and swabbing a patient. The inner meshing teet. 7of this version have a crown or raised central portions 8 which meshtogether. These raised central portions feather out to their ends andblend in with the face 19 of the jaws. The lateral teeth 7 of FIGURES 5and 6 are shorter in length than the Width of jaw 5. Thus, the teeth donot extend all the way to the side of jaw 5 and therefore do not presenta sharp zig zag edge at the side of the jaw to scratch a patient when aswab is brushed back and forth over his skin.

An alternate jaw and tooth construction is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.This construction is well adapted for very fine work where a tight gripon an object is required, such as in suture removal. In FIGURE 7 it isnoted the teeth run completely to the sides of the jaws, thus giving acomplete intermesh of the teeth surfaces. In this alternate jaw versionthe jaw has a narrow pointed end shown in FIGURE 8 for grasping smallsutures.

The simple, one-piece improved forceps of my invention can be made ofany stiff plastic material. I have found the forceps of my inventionwork very well when molded in a general purpose styrene. Also, suchplastics as ABS and polycarbonate can be used.

For illustrative purposes, I have used specific examples of myinvention. Certain modifications to these examples can be made bypersons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeof this invention.

I claim:

1. A disposable plastic forceps for medical use comprising:

(a) a pair of arms having side edges, each having a 3 mating jaw at oneend, said arms joined together by an integral U-shaped flexible hingemember at their opposite ends;

(b) guide means associated with the arms between the jaws and U-shapedhinge member for laterally aligning the opposed jaws; and

(c) a longitudinal rib along the inside surface of each arm and spacedinwardly from the side edges of said arm, said ribs being generallytriangular-shaped in a longitudinal dimension along the arms, said ribshaving apeXes adjacent the U-shaped hinge with each rib progressivelydiminishing in height from its apex, toward the guide means, said apexesof the ribs being spaced apart in the normal relaxed open position ofthe forceps, whereby upon partially closing the forceps the apexes ofthe ribs are brought into contact with each other.

2. A disposable plastic forceps as set forth in claim 1 wherein the jawshave a series of lateral teeth therein.

3. A disposable plastic forceps as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidteeth have a greater height at their central portion and featheroutwardly to their ends to blend in wlth a jaw face.

4. A disposable plastic forceps as set forth in claim 2 wherein thelateral teeth are shorter in length than the lateral distance, acrosssaid jaw face.

5. A disposable plastic forceps as set forth in claim 2 wherein theteeth in each jaw have a crowned center portion for mating with acrowned center portion of teeth in the opposing jaw.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,376,135 5/1945 Frasher 8143 X2,668,538 2/1954 Baker 128346 X 3,140,715 7/1964 Whitton et al 1283213,265,068 8/1966 Holohan 128321 20 DALTON L. TRULUCK, Primary Examiner.

